


Easy to Love

by AHappyPup



Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Genre: Adoption, Anxiety Attacks, Found Family, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:41:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24333796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AHappyPup/pseuds/AHappyPup
Summary: Four times Jawbone acted like Adaine's dad, and the one time he became her dad.
Relationships: Adaine Abernant & Jawbone O'Shaughnessey
Comments: 22
Kudos: 123





	Easy to Love

(1)

It was hard to breathe. The day (or days? Adaine wasn’t quite sure how Arthur Augefort’s watch really worked) had been a blur. She had broken out of a jail with her party. Her house had burned down. Her parents and sister had abandoned her. She had become the elven oracle. She had anxiety medication. Oh and to top it all off, she had helped kill a dragon.

And yet now, Adaine was in the school guidance counselor’s apartment with his niece and Kristen, and they were just ordering pizza as if they had just come home from a normal day of school. Adaine curled herself up in a corner of the couch trying to make herself as small as possible. Jawbone was kind enough to offer her a space; she didn’t need to overstay her welcome and get kicked out.

A soft paw drew her away from her thoughts. “Hey, kiddo. You alright there?”

No she wasn’t alright. Her parents abandoned her. She was afraid. It was hard to breathe, even with the new medicine. There was nothing alright about any of this. But Adaine knew the rules of society. These were pleasantries. Tell people what they want to hear, and she’d be safe.

So, Adaine nodded, keeping her eyes down “Just a bit tired is all.”

Jawbone nodded in return, squeezing gently on her shoulder. “I bet. You guys all had a long day.” Adaine noticed the way his own eyes darted. Was he regretting his decision? The worry bubbled up in her chest with Adaine doing her best to fight the uncomfortable feeling. He helped her through one attack today. She couldn’t burden him with another one. 

“We’ve got a little bit of time before dinner. Do you wanna lie down for a bit on my bed or something? We’ll work on getting the spare room set up after dinner but for now you can have a little trance there?”

Adaine bit her lip. She couldn’t intrude like that. No, no she could wait until bedtime. She couldn’t. “No, I’m okay-” a yawn slipped out and betrayed her.

Jawbone smiled at her, returning to a standing position. “Come on, kid. I’ll make sure we don’t have too much fun without you.” Before she knew it, he was picking her up and carrying her to his bed. Her first instinct was to resist, tell him she didn’t need to be carried or take a nap, but when her head rested against his chest, all of those thoughts went away. The soft cotton of his t-shirt against her cheek and the steady beat of his heartbeat comforted her in a way she didn’t think possible. 

She could feel herself slipping into trance almost immediately as Jawbone laid her on the bed. A small blanket over her, and a light small ruffle of her hair, Adaine's heart felt warm. This was better than anything she ever could have dreamed of. She let a small smile creep over her face for the first time in days. All she could say was “Thank you,” before she was out like a light.

(2)

In the last six months, a lot of things had changed for Jawbone. He had gone from working The Black Pit to having his own office as a guidance counselor. He was able to get the bigger apartment he and Tracker had always dreamed about, rather than the cramped studio Jawbone spent more time dealing drugs out of than sleeping in. There was space to make a real home, and people to make it with.

Legealse aside, he had three wonderful daughters in Tracker, Kristen, and Adaine. Having three teenagers (and whichever members of the bad kids had wandered over), meant never having a dull moment, especially given Tracker and Kristen’s enthusiasm. The laissez-faire techniques he used with Tracker worked well with Kristen, and given that Tracker’s parents had been similar, he wasn’t surprised.

But Adaine on the other hand, he worried about Adaine a lot.

Not that she didn’t worry enough herself, but he couldn’t help but worry he wasn’t doing enough. Her parents hurt her. It may not have been a physical wound, but the emotional wound they left was sore and omnipresent. He could see it in small ways: not asking for anything at the grocery, not letting her room get messy, not speaking unless she was spoken to first. It broke his heart. The worst, though, came in the dark of night.

Jawbone was used to screams at night. It was just a way of life before. But Adaine’s screams, he hoped he would never get used to. The way her breath would catch, the tears that flooded her face, his heart ached for her. 

He came every single time, no matter how many times she tried to say it was no big deal. No matter how many times she said it was just about her parents and how they shouldn’t matter anymore. He was by her side. Sometimes, he led her in a breathing exercise. Sometimes, he left to make the tea. And still other times, Adaine would let him hold her, let herself be wrapped up in his love.

“Jawbone?” she asked one night, holding tight to his arm. She had had a particularly bad dream tonight, necessitating an extra dose of anxiety medicine. He wasn’t about to leave until she was ready.

“Yeah, kid?”

“Do you think they ever loved me?”

A tear slipped from his eye, though he was careful to keep it hidden from Adaine. She was just a baby. She shouldn’t have known anything but love in her life. Not harsh words and ridicule, but kindness and sweet nothings. He pulled her tighter in his arms, desperate to do anything to null her pain. “I- I don’t know, kiddo. I wish I did.”

She shook in his arms, tears falling freely. He rubbed soft circles in her back and held her hands. All the things her bastard of a father would never do. The things her mother never did. He wanted to be angry at them, punch them senseless. But that didn’t matter right now. Adaine was what mattered.

“Adaine?” She lifted her head to look up at him. He brushed a stray hair from her tear-stained face. “No matter what they did or didn’t do, I want you to know that _I_ love you. Do you understand?”

She pulled close into his chest, letting his words sink in as she cried. He could feel her nod against his chest, emotionally exhausted. He held her close, whispering sweet nothings until she fell asleep nearly an hour later. He would do this every night for her, if it meant she felt loved and safe. 

It was his honor to do so.

(3)

_67/100 - D: You need to study harder next time. If you don’t understand necromantic magic, there is no hope your for party should Ms. Applebees fall, Ms. Abernant. Please return with a parent or guardian’s signature._

Adaine could feel her stomach sink as she read the note. She hadn’t done so poorly on an exam since the Hudol Entrance Exam. She didn’t even have the excuse of a panic attack. It was just a hard exam and no matter how many hours she spent studying, she just couldn’t get necromantic magic down. She could move her hands in the right ways, say the right words, use the right materials, but she couldn’t reanimate her bird when the practical portion of the exam came.

If it were only an issue of practical application, it might not have stung so bad, but the reality was she had missed many points in the theoretical portion as well. She could feel her heart beat faster, thinking of what Mother and Father would say to her, how much trouble she was in. Her stomach hurt; she didn’t want to be here; she couldn’t be here right now; but if she wasn’t here then Father would yell at her and Aelwyn would mock her endlessly and Mother would stare disapprovingly; it was too much; it was too much; it was too much.

Adaine barely felt the thud of her back hitting the lockers as she collapsed into herself. She knew she should try and compose herself. She was fifteen years old, and here she was crying over what her parents would think.

But they weren’t there.

Jawbone.

Oh God. What was Jawbone going to think? Disappointing her parents came with a pattern. She knew how she could prepare, how to brace herself for their unkind words. But with Jawbone- with Jawbone, Adaine didn’t know. He didn’t seem like he would be mad at her about it, but she didn’t know. Anything could happen-

“Adaine? Adaine, can you hear me?”

Jawbone.

No. No no no no no. She couldn’t do this. He was going to hate her. She was a poor excuse of a wizard and this test was finally the proof that put it all into place. Oh Gods.

Through the fog of her mind, she could hear him counting. Their exercise. Subconsciously she followed along, letting her breath even out. Her tears slowed. She heard him say that it was okay. That she was safe. That he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. 

“I failed my necromancy exam,” she eventually said, breaking the comfortable silence. “I’m- I’m sorry.”

Jawbone tilted his head slightly. “Is that what brought this on, kiddo?”

Adaine nodded slowly, embarrassed and ashamed. “I thought you would be mad at me, I- It’s stupid.”

Jawbone shook his head, coming around to pull her into a big hug. “I’m not mad, and it’s not stupid, I promise.” He gave her a light kiss to the head.

"High school is tough enough without worrying about grades. Hell, you're further than I ever got. Did I ever tell you about the day I dropped out? There was me and a guy and we were trying to transport this possum over the border for this paladin..." Adaine felt herself relax in his comforting embrace as she listened to his story. She should have known he wouldn’t be upset. Jawbone was not her father. Jawbone was her dad. And that made all the difference.

(4)

"Hey, kiddo. I thought you were going to Basar's today?"

Jawbone was cleaning up his office from the day, ready to go home and lounge for a while. It was Thursday- the day the bad kids usually went to Basar's for a hangout- even in the chilly days of autumn. He wasn't expecting Adaine until late, if she and Kristen came home at all tonight.

"Can I come home with you instead?" Adaine's voice was raspy, and she sounded stuffed up. He knew that there was a bug going around Augefort and knew that it was an inevitability that one of the kids would come home with it. It seemed as though today were that day.

Jawbone frowned looking over her, only furthering his suspicions: pale face, red nose, tired eyes. "Of course ya can. You can always come home, you know that. You feeling okay?"

Adaine shook her head, and Jawbone wasn't sure if he should be happy or worried. Obviously, it wasn't a good thing that she wasn't feeling well. But she had come to him rather than try and hide it away like she had various other adventuring injuries. A quick touch to her forehead confirmed what they both already knew; Adaine was sick, and it was time to go home. 

"You're pretty warm," he said, turning to kiss her head. "Come on, let's get you home."

A half hour later, Jawbone was tucking Adaine into bed, safe and sound. "I'm really proud of you, kiddo."

Adaine's chest rattled with harsh, heavy coughs. "Why? I didn't do anything," she rasped, curling into herself.

"But you did," he said, pulling her quilt up to her chin. "You asked for help, and I'm proud of you." 

"You make it easy," she said, eyes getting heavy.

Jawbone smiled, watching her eyes drift shut. She was resting; that was good. He pulled her pink frog blanket off the floor, pressing it info her hands to hold. "Froggy will make sure you have sweet dreams," he said, pressing one last kiss on her head. "Just get some rest and Message me if you need anything, alright? I love you."

Adaine snuggled against the soft fleece and almost asleep whispered "I love you too, Dad."

Jawbone felt his heart melt. She hadn't called him that before. He knew he loved her as his own, but hearing it was different. Something special that he would never forget.

He smiled to himself, gently shutting the door. There was soup to put on.

(+1)

“By the power invested in me from the nation of Solace, I declare this adoption finalized. Congratulations!”

The small courtroom erupted in cheers as the gavel was banged against the stand. Jawbone wrapped Adaine into a warm hug, both of them with tears running down her face. The rest of the world could see what they already knew: Adaine was Jawbone’s daughter and Jawbone was Adaine's dad. They didn't need a judge to tell them that.

But officially being Adaine O'Shaughnessy was a nice touch.


End file.
